Photograph
by Widow's FeatherPen
Summary: Photos sometimes show what the eyes can't see. Naruto wanted a picture of his friends. ::Happy B-day, Naruto!::


**Photograph**

* * *

Steps on grass.

Laughter.

Sounds of falling, of hitting.

A snort of defiance.

More laughter.

"Sakura-_chaaan_! I'm the one taking the pictures, _dattebayo_!"

"No way, Naruto! You're going to end up breaking it!"

"Aww..."

Laughter from others.

"Sakura knows how to take pictures, Naruto. Let her do it."

"But Shikamaru..!"

"Is everyone here?"

"I think so, Forehead. What'd they call our group again?"

"The Rookie Nine, Ino-_chan_."

"Iruka-_sensei_! You came!"

Smiles.

"Couldn't miss this, now could I?"

"True, true..."

"By the way, I dragged Kakashi-_sensei_ as close as I could before he escaped me..."

"Thanks Iruka-_sensei_, but if he's too late today he'll miss it..."

Loud voices.

"**We are** **HERE**!"

Chorus.

"Hello Gai-_sensei_, hi Lee."

"**Good day to you ALL**!"

"Is everyone here?!"

"Our t-teachers haven't arrived yet..."

"Thank you Hinata-_chan_..."

Sighs.

"What's with the gloomy faces?"

"Asuma-_sensei_! WHERE WERE YOU?"

"Sheesh, no need to scream..."

"So, how are we going to do this?"

"Kurenai-_sensei_, hi!"

"Hello, Kiba-_kun_, Hinata-_chan_, Shino-_kun_."

"By the way, is Gaara coming?"

Stares.

"Only **you** would ask about Gaara, Naruto..."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Nothing. But yeah, I think he's coming. I mean, we invited Tsunade-_sama_!"

"_Baa-chan_'s coming?! _Dattebayo_!! What about the Pervy Old Sage?"

Sounds of hitting.

"Oww!"

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that, you brat?!"

"Hello, Jiraiya-_sama_."

"Yo."

"**YOU'RE LATE**!"

"Not really."

Snickering.

"So it's become habit in Team 7 to scream 'You're Late' when Kakashi arrives?"

"So it would seem."

"Kakashi-_sensei_, don't agree like that!"

"Sorry, sorry."

Liquid sloshing inside a bottle.

"_Hokage-sama_!"

"The _hime_ is here..!"

"Shut UP, Jiraiya."

"_Baa-chan_! Gaara! And hey, Temari and Kankurou too!"

"Brat."

"Naruto."

Waves.

"Where's Shizune-_san_?"

"Work."

"_Your _work, Tsunade-_shishou_?"

"Are we going to do this or not?"

"Yeah, yeah."

Gathering.

"So, how are gonna do this?"

"Well, one big group picture, six team pictures, and individual pictures. Is that good?"

"Yeah. Everyone, organize in a big group picture!"

* * *

Tsunade and Jiraiya behind, standing on the ledge behind the group.

Teachers, Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma and Gai standing in front of them, to the left.

Gaara, Temari and Kankurou huddling together to the right.

Iruka stands aside Kakashi. Naruto and Sakura crouch slightly in front of them.

Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji crouch in front of Asuma.

Kiba, Hinata and Shino in front of Kurenai.

Lee and Tenten crouch in front of Gai. Neji stands slightly to the side, refusing to crouch.

Sakura has a clone holding the camera.

* * *

"Everyone say **CHEESE**!"

"What kind of a **CHEESY** line is that?"

* * *

Chaos. The picture is taken before everyone completely leaves their position.

Tsunade is drinking from the bottle she brought. Jiraiya is looking down her shirt as she is otherwise distracted.

Gaara has his eyes closed in exasperation, Temari is looking at the heavens in frustration and Kankurou is laughing behind his hand.

Neji has his eyes closed in half-anger, half-amusement. Lee is shouting at Naruto, and Tenten has a gentle smile.

Kiba is grinning in laughter and Hinata has a blush and a smile, her eyes having strayed to Naruto.

Shino has apparently not moved his gaze from the camera.

Shikamaru is looking at the heavens for clouds, Ino has a hand on her face, sighing, and Chouji has a smile while eating his favoured chips.

Asuma and Kurenai look on in amusement, and Gai is holding Lee back with laughter in his eyes.

Naruto is shouting at the camera. Sakura is shouting at him, Iruka and Kakashi holding them back.

Just behind Kakashi, the wall is faded, misty.

* * *

"Okay, Group picture done! Whose team is first?"

"I will have to cut this short. Please take mine."

"Alright, Gaara. You sure you don't want to take the individual pictures?"

"No, thank you."

* * *

Gaara's team is silent.

Gaara himself is in the middle, Temari to his right, holding her fan open behind her, Kankurou to his left, presenting his seemingly mummified puppet to the camera.

Behind them, the wall is normal.

* * *

"There you go!"

"These instant photos are good, _dattebayo_!!"

"That's why we're using them."

Gaara and his siblings leave in a chorus of farewells.

"Who's next?"

"_Maa_--"

"_Next_?!"

"I've a report to make. Could we?"

"Sure, Asuma-_sensei_."

* * *

Team 10 is quiet.

Asuma is still puffing his cigarette, standing in the middle behind his students.

Ino stands right in front of him, waving at the camera with a wide smile.

To her right is Shikamaru, lazily greeting the camera.

To her left is Chouji, hands crinkling the bag of chips and simply smiling.

Behind them, the wall fades, very slightly, just beside Asuma.

* * *

The individual photos are somewhat similar. Ino sends a kiss to the camera.

* * *

"Well then, bye to you guys."

"Bye, Asuma-_sensei_!"

"You're staying, Ino-pig?"

"Sure, Forehead. I wanna see what turns up in these pictures. And Shika over there is too lazy to move."

"Alright, next?"

"_Maa_--"

"_Next_?!"

Chuckles.

"If we could? Asuma is not the only one with reports to make."

"Sure, Kurenai-_sensei_."

* * *

Team 8 is somewhat quiet.

Kurenai stands behind them, with a smile and a hand on Hinata's shoulder.

In front, Kiba grins with Akamaru sitting in front of him.

To his right, Shino stands silently.

To his left, Hinata smiles at the camera, hands loosely clasped together over her chest.

Behind them, the wall is faded beside Hinata.

* * *

_(Crouching.)_

* * *

The individual photos are much the same.

The wall fades slightly around Hinata, much as if there was a white aura around her.

* * *

_(Embracing.)_

* * *

"Well, I will be going then."

"Bye Kurenai-_sensei_!"

Sakura frowns at the photos, but dismisses her thoughts in favor of continuing.

"Okay, next?"

"_Maa_, Sakura-_chan_--"

"_NEXT_?!"

Chuckles.

"**IT IS TIME**!"

"**YES, GAI-SENSEI**! Time we've shown our brilliance to the **WORLD**!"

"Uhm, these photos are just for us..?"

"Oh..."

"**THAT'S OKAY**! It will make a great token of the **BRILLIANCE OF OUR YOUTH**!"

Sighs.

"Yes, Gai-_sensei_, it will..."

* * *

Team Gai is loud.

Gai stands in his 'Nice Guy Pose'.

Lee imitates him in front.

Neji is to his right, refusing to look at both of them. There is a minor blush on his cheeks.

Tenten is to his left, grinning in amusement.

Behind them, the wall is normal.

* * *

The individual photos are much the same.

There is an extra one of Gai and Lee. It is one of the rare, quiet moments of the duo.

* * *

"_YOSH_! It is done!"

"Will there be much trouble if we stay to watch?"

"Not at all, Gai-_sensei_."

Sakura smiles, relieved, when there is no anomaly in the photo.

"Tsunade-_shishou_, Jiraiya-_sama_, do you want a photo together or just individual?"

Jiraiya says nothing, looking expectantly at Tsunade.

"Sure. And Jiraiya, just this once."

Jiraiya's dreamy smile is frightening.

* * *

There are four photos.

Two individual ones, Tsunade smiling gently and Jiraiya grinning.

One of the two standing side by side.

And the last one of Tsunade standing on the ledge, gulping down her bottle of sake as if it was her lifeline, while she hugs Jiraiya's head to her chest.

Surprisingly, Jiraiya's hands do not stray anywhere near her.

* * *

"Someone bring me more sake!"

The silence following the last photo is complete.

"Right away!"

And everyone stares incredulously as Jiraiya does her bidding.

Coughs.

"Er- Alright..."

"Sakura-_chan_..?"

Kakashi's pitiful voice makes more than two snigger.

Sakura smiles sweetly. She has forced him to stay more time than he ever wanted.

"I suppose it's our turn now. Oh well."

Sakura's clone holds the camera.

* * *

Sakura stands to the left, smirk firmly in place.

Kakashi stands beside her, his book nowhere in sight, sending pitiful glances to his female student, who is ignoring him.

Naruto stands beside him, with a large, happy grin in place.

Iruka has a hand on Naruto's shoulder, smile gentle and amused as he stands to the right.

Between Kakashi and Naruto, the wall fades mistily once again.

* * *

_(One hand on each shoulder.)_

* * *

Sakura is forced to take two photos of Kakashi and two of Naruto, having been jostled on the first try of each.

Sakura and Iruka are smiling at the camera.

* * *

Sakura pales as she look at the two 'wasted' photos.

"Kakashi-_sensei_, Naruto, could you guys stay behind a minute?"

The rest of the group is curious, but with the exception of Iruka, they leave with their own photos.

"May I stay?"

"You don't have work, Iruka-_sensei_?"

"Not right now, no."

"Alright..."

Sakura shows one of the photos.

What is visible of Kakashi's face pales dramatically. Iruka's eyes widen.

"Sakura-_chan_..?"

"If these photos weren't instantaneous, I'd say someone played a cruel joke but..."

"Can... can I keep it..?"

Kakashi's voice is only a whisper. Sakura hands it over without a fuss, and he leaves without another word.

"That's not the only one, is it, Sakura-_chan_?"

"No, Iruka-_sensei_. But I'm not going to show you, okay?"

He nods, his eyes flickering to Naruto with a smile.

"I'll be going then."

Sakura waits until he disappears from her sight.

"He's gone... Naruto, this is for you. I think it'd be best if you looked at it in your home."

* * *

At night, Naruto is huddled beneath his covers, tears smearing his pillow and a mysterious gift clutched in his hands.

On the nightstand, the photo Sakura took already with a frame.

The picture is misty, but visible.

Naruto is smiling brightly and happily at the camera.

Behind him, arms around Naruto's shoulders, is a tall, blond man.

His hair, longer than Naruto's own, falls freely over his face, features somewhat hidden. The large, gentle and loving smile and the eyes glowing with pride are impossible to be hidden.

One of his hands clutches a small note, but the writing is big enough.

_Happy Birthday, My Son. _

_-M.N._

And Naruto wails in both happiness and sorrow as he clutches a precious kunai and headband to his chest, careful to not hurt himself.

The _Yondaime_ is watching over him. Smiling.

* * *

_**Owari**_


End file.
